Rules of Rugby Union
(extracted from Wikipedia)
A rugby union match lasts for 80 minutes, with a short interval (not more than 10 minutes) after the first 40 minutes.
A match is controlled by a referee, who is assisted by two touch judges. For professional matches, a television match official (TMO), commonly called the video referee, is often employed, usually to advise the referee on matters pertaining to the scoring of tries and dropped goals.
The object of the game is to score as many points as possible. The team that scores the greater number of points is the winner.
Points are awarded for scoring a try or kicking a goal. A try, which is worth 5 points, is scored when the ball is grounded within the opponent’s in-goal area. A goal is scored by kicking the ball between the posts and over the crossbar of the opponent’s goal.
There are three ways to score a goal: (i) a dropped goal (scored in open play where the ball must hit the ground immediately before it is kicked); (ii) a penalty goal (awarded after the opposing side infringes against the laws of rugby and may be kicked from a stationary ground position or by drop kick); and (iii) a conversion (awarded after a try is scored) by either a drop kick or a place kick. A penalty or dropped goal is worth 3 points; a conversion is worth 2 points.
The pitch must be no more than 100 meters in length, not including the in-goal area. The depth of the in-goal area can vary but must be at least 10 meters and no more than 22 meters. The width of the pitch may also vary but must be no more than 70 meters wide. The goal posts are situated on the centre of the goal line with the upright posts placed 5.6 meters apart and the crossbar is placed 3 meters above the ground in an ‘H’ shape. The overall height of the goal posts must be over 3.4 meters.
A typical passage of rugby takes the following form: the team in possession of the ball moves the ball up the field in an effort to ground the ball over the opponents’ goal-line in order to score a try until such time as the ball carrier is tackled. They then form a ruck in order to win the ball back. This process repeats until one team makes a mistake that violates the Laws of the game, moves off the field of play or a try or goal is scored.
The team in possession may choose to advance by kicking the ball forward. The ball may be passed from one player to another as long as the ball is not thrown forwards. Rugby union is one of the few ball games where the ball cannot be passed forwards. Any team mate nearer the opposition goal than the ball-carrier is off-side and must not interfere with play, meaning that American football-style blocking is forbidden.
The team not in possession attempts to stop the ball carrier by tackling them, which consists of grabbing hold of them and bringing them to ground. A tackled player must pass or release the ball, allowing the opposition to contest possession of the loose ball. Play does not stop unless there is an infringement of the laws, or the ball / ball-carrier leaves the field of play.
If the ball goes into touch (out of the field of play), the game restarts with a line-out. If the game stops because of an infringement, play restarts with either a scrum, free kick or penalty kick (depending on the severity of the infringement) awarded to the non-infringing team.
The attacking team may score by kicking the ball between the posts and over the cross-bar. When attempting to kick for goal the ball may only be kicked from the ground, either from a place kick or drop-kick following the award of a penalty or from a drop kick in open play. A successful kick at goal is worth three points.
The attacking team may also score by grounding the ball in the in-goal area. This is called a “try” and is worth five points. A team that scores a try is given the opportunity to attempt to kick a goal, known as a conversion kick; the conversion kick is worth two points if successful. The conversion kick must be taken from in line with where the try was scored; it can be taken from anywhere along that line.
Tries are the main form of scoring, and the primary aim of most teams is to score tries. Drop goals and penalty kicks are usually augmenters, a safer option against a steadfast defence or to punish ill-disciplined opposition. On some (usually rare) occasions, a team may be awarded a penalty try, if their opponents commit a foul which is deemed by the referee to have illegally prevented a try, or if they have persistently stopped play close to the try line through foul play.
